The present subject matter relates generally to collection apparatuses, such as waste collection units. More specifically, the present invention relates specifically to solar power collection apparatuses including an electrically powered weight and fullness level reporting systems.
Collection apparatuses are used to collect materials such as waste, recycling, used cooking oil, clothing donations, and other unwanted materials for later collection and processing. Existing collection apparatuses are generally collected according to a schedule, regardless of the current level of fullness of the collection apparatuses. The fullness level itself is not apparent until after collection takes place. Accordingly, collection apparatuses are often collected below full capacity or at excess capacity. In addition to the clear optimization issues caused by non-optimal collection schedules, the failure to collect the contents of collection apparatuses that have exceeded their capacity can create risks for organizations and collection workers, such as sanitation workers.
Collecting apparatuses below full capacity results in poor resource utilization, especially poor labor utilization, which is the most costly component of the collection process. However, under existing collection processes, collection below apparatus capacity is often necessary to minimize the likelihood of overfilling and overweighting caused by unpredictable filling. Efforts to minimize poor labor utilization often result in more or larger-sized collection apparatuses that take up more space. Thus, there is a need to increase resource utilization by collecting closer to full capacity without increasing overfilling or requiring larger a collection apparatus.
With respect to public health, collection workers often manually collect collection apparatuses for garbage and recycling without information about possible risks. Risks include overweight collection apparatuses such as garbage cans, liners, or bags that may cause lifting injuries. Further risks include the health and environmental risks of overflowing collection apparatuses. The overflow from a collection apparatus may fall onto the street, parks, and benches, may draw the attention of unwanted pests, and increase water contamination risk. Thus, there is a need to appropriately time collections to minimize collection apparatus overflow.
Accordingly, there is a need for collection apparatuses including a weight and fullness system, as described herein.